Clawing at the Bharatiya Janata Party for the drop in the number of tigers in Sariska and Ranthambhore on Thursday, the Congress in Rajasthan demanded removal of the forests minister for protecting the interests of the mining lobby instead of conservation.

"Gross interference" by Forests Minister Laxmi Narayan Dave in functioning of the forest department left the area under Project Tiger open to poachers, senior Congress leader and former forests minister Beena Kak told reporters.